“Given the gaps of trust that exist, that’s a tough negotiation”, Obama said at a news conference closing the Group of 20 summit. There was a palpable sense that any commitment that Obama might make at this meeting would have a clear expiration date-and that either of his successors would not feel bound by any promise he might proffer. On Sunday, the Americans were confident enough of success that they scheduled a news conference to announce a cease-fire agreement, erecting two lecterns for the two negotiators. Even as top diplomats vowed to keep trying, President Barack Obama expressed skepticism that an unlikely alliance between rivals would yield the breakthrough needed to end the 5-year-old civil war.
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He also said the foreign ministries of Russian Federation and the US were working on some pre-agreements. The strategy has hinged on an unlikely U.S.
He noted there is a distinction between “good terrorists or bad”, he said, an indirect reference to Gulen and United States support for Kurdish fighters in Syria.
That prompted Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, to say he would have refused to meet with Chinese officials if he were treated that way, calling it “such a sign of disrespect”.
“I’ve said all along we’re not going to rush”, said Kerry, who has negotiated several failed truces with Russian Federation in recent months.
“At the state level, we certainly weren’t involved in this”, Mr. Putin said. They also discussed Ukraine and USA concerns over cyber-security. The quicker they can find a solution that will bring Syria some relief, the faster they can start focusing on other issues that affect the Syrians. But Obama “suggested the USA has concerns about Russian Federation holding up its end of the bargain and enforcing the terms”, the wire service writes.
Kerry said the two sides had worked through many technical issues but said the US didn’t want to enter into an illegitimate agreement.
Obama said, however, that he wouldn’t comment about “specific investigations that are still live and active”, an apparent reference to the hack of the Democratic National Committee.
Moscow and Washington support different sides in Syria’s festering conflict that has left 290,000 dead, with Russian Federation backing President Bashar al-Assad while the United States supports rebel groups fighting him.
While Front-led forces last month broke through government encirclement from the south to join with opposition rebels occupying the eastern half of the city, that route now also appears to be closed as a conduit for aid, as the government launched a major push to retake it. Obama met earlier with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the same issue.
“We said that we want peace in Aleppo before the holidays begin (Eid al-Adha on September 11)”.
The Islamic State said a suicide vehicle bomb targeted a military checkpoint west of Damascus.
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A suicide bomber on a motorcycle in the city of Hasakeh killed eight people, the state news agency said.
